The Ultimate Cell Phone Cleaning Quiz

Did you know that your cell phone can make you sick? According to some sources, cell phones harbor more potentially harmful bacteria than even toilet seats. To protect yourself and your family, take our quiz and find out the best way to clean your cell phone.

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Question 1 of 10

What type of display does an iPhone 4 have?

LCD display

An iPhone 4 has a glass-coated LCD display.

VCR display

DVD display

Question 2 of 10

How many megapixels does the built-in iPhone 4 camera have?

three

five

The iPhone 4 built-in camera with LED flash has 5 megapixels.

seven

Question 3 of 10

Which type of cell phones get the dirtiest?

touch screen phones

Though touch screen phones actually get the dirtiest, other types of phones are not immune to fingerprints, dust, earwax nuggets and the like.

conventional cell phones

smart phones

Question 4 of 10

Which of the following harbor the greatest amount of harmful bacteria?

toilet seats

doorknobs

cell phones

According to a semi-scientific study by a British cell phone retailer, cell phones harbor more potentially harmful bacteria than doorknobs, computer keyboards and toilet seats

Question 5 of 10

Which of the following common germs may lurk on the surface of your smartphone?

staph bacteria

the seasonal flu virus

both of the above

According to a study conducted by doctoral students at Stanford University, staph bacteria and the seasonal flu virus can be found on the surface of a smartphone and they have a good chance of infecting you.

Question 6 of 10

When cleaning your cell phone, is it OK to open the case?

yes

no

Unless it's absolutely necessary, never open up your cell phone case on your own. It may void the warranty.

sometimes

Question 7 of 10

Which type of cleaning fluid is best for cleaning your cell phone's LCD screen?

water

Windex

a mix of 60 percent water and 40 percent isopropyl alcohol

The best solution for cleaning your cell phone's LCD screen is a mix of 60 percent water and 40 percent isopropyl alcohol available from your drug store. Isopropyl alcohol evaporates quickly so there's little chance that moisture will seep into your phone's circuitry.

The rough fibers of paper towels may scratch your LCD display surface. Use a microfiber cloth to clean the screen.

They may fall apart when wet.

They may leave lint on the LCD surface.

Question 9 of 10

What's the best way to dislodge crumbs and dust that can clog the cracks and crevices of your cell phone?

Use a Q-tip.

Use a can of compressed air.

both of the above

To dislodge crumbs and dust from the cracks and crevices of your cell phone, wipe down the surface with a moistened microfiber cloth or cotton swab. A few blasts with a can of compressed air (the kind for cleaning computer hardware) should quickly dislodge any diehard crud.

The latest hi-tech gadget, the Violight Cell Phone Sanitizer, uses pulses of UV light to destroy surface bacteria. You can also buy a small UV wand that claims to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria after only 10 seconds of use.